Before he went to Montreal Dutoit had recorded for Erato. His
Roussel symphonies are still a cornerstone of the Warner Apex
catalogue. Dutoit’s tenure (1977-2002) with Orchestre symphonique
de Montréal (OSM) and his friendship with Decca producer Ray
Minshull – also the producer of CD 3 here – took the Montreal
orchestra to an international eminence it had never previously
won. When Dutoit left Montreal the orchestra’s grip on the world’s
attention sank to a level secured by those recordings. As they
gradually slipped from the catalogue so the orchestra’s profile
faded. During those halcyon days Decca made well-loved versions
of the orchestral Ravel, Debussy and Berlioz. No surprise –
Dutoit is French-speaking Swiss-born and Montreal is in Quebec,
the heartland of Gallophile nationalism within Canada. Apart
from the usual prominent territory he seems never to have looked
at the likes of Schmitt, Lazzari, Witkowski, Ropartz, Aubert,
Lesur or Maurice – at least not on record. Dutoit also made
Montreal forays into Prokofiev, Bartók, de
Falla, Stravinsky and a host of early twentieth century
others; not that he restricted himself to this area: Tchaikovsky
for example.

He guested at Philadelphia in 1980 and then from 1990 to 1999
became its music director. He has been appointed chief conductor
and artistic adviser to the orchestra from 2008 to 2012. Given
the long Rachmaninov tradition in Philadelphia stretching back
to Stokowski and Ormandy days it was no surprise that Dutoit
and the orchestra would look in that direction. The auguries
were good and the technology certainly delivers in the currency
of refinement. You can sample the sophisticated and vibrant
sound in the first five minutes of The Bells. On the
other hand what should be bristling excitement seems blunted.
It’s more Autumn reflective than Spring rapture - though I did
really like the ardent tenor of Kaludi Kaludov. The same can
be said of the smooth accounts of Spring and Three
Russian Songs. This last disc was reissued by Decca
Eloquence in 2005 and was well liked at the time by John
Phillips. The Symphony No. 3 is also rather middle of the road,
highly competent but not gripping; same goes for The Isle
of the Dead although the little violin ‘commas’ at 3:55
are superbly etched in. Things improve by a degree or two for
the Symphonic Dances but nothing to compare with the
classic Kondrashin or to Temirkanov on Signum or Neeme Järvi
on Chandos or Brilliant. In fairness things do hot up in the
final measures of the third dance but it’s too little too late.
Unforgivably Dutoit does not insist on the final tam-tam smash
being allowed to vibrate to silence. The Second Symphony is
a cut above in this company. It all seems very well judged,
sumptuous and with plenty of heady adrenaline. It can reliably
be counted in the variegatedly excellent company of Svetlanov,
Rozhdestvensky,
Cura
(do not forget him on any account), Kogan (dazzlingly
bright) and Sanderling.
The Rock is an early work and very Rimskian. It suits
Dutoit’s temperament and is done lucidly and with considerable
poetry. The First Symphony is also well put across. I really
warmed to the second movement for the first time.

Exemplary design decisions by Newton Classics. The supportive
notes are by David Gutman.

Not my set of choice but has highly refined sound with a generally
cool emotional approach, an especially engaging Second Symphony
and a good First. Will suit listeners who want less of the lush
romantic side of Rachmaninov and prefer to avoid extremes of
temperature.

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